1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cartridge receiving apparatus for receiving cartridges into which record media such as a mini disc, a floppy disc, a VHD disc, a tape, a solid memory or the like are received, and to a cartridge disc player utilizing the cartridge receiving apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has conventionally been known a cartridge disc player in which a plurality of cartridge discs such as a mini disc are received and a desired one disc is selected from these discs to make record or reproduction. The cartridge disc player comprises a receiving unit for receiving the cartridge discs, a playback unit for making record or reproduction for the cartridge disc and a transfer unit for transferring the cartridge disc between the receiving unit and the playback unit.
The receiving unit is provided with a plurality of receiving spaces into which the cartridge discs are inserted manually by a user. When the receiving unit receives the cartridge discs, the transfer unit transfers the cartridge disc from the receiving unit to the playback unit so as to start the playback.
However, the insertion operation of the cartridge disc is manually carried out by the user, leading to a possible incomplete insertion. In the conventional cartridge disc player, there is not made detection as whether the cartridge is completed or not. Consequently, the transfer unit may operate in an incomplete receiving state and in such a case, the cartridge disc cannot be loaded, thus leading to a locking problem in the mechanical structure. The user may waste time.
There has conventionally been known a cartridge disc player in which a receipt detection switch for detecting the complete insertion of the disc cartridge is provided on each of the receiving spaces, in order to prevent the occurrence of such a problem. A plurality of receipt detection switches corresponding to the number of the cartridge discs are required, leading to complication of the entire structure.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a cartridge receiving apparatus in which there can be made a decision of the completed receipt of the cartridge with the use of a simple structure, and a cartridge disc player utilizing the cartridge receiving apparatus.
In order to attain the aforementioned object, at least one support unit for supporting at least one cartridge and a detection device for detecting a completed insertion of the cartridge are subjected to a combined use. More specifically, the cartridge receiving apparatus of the present invention, comprises: a receiving unit for receiving the cartridge; at least one support unit for supporting said cartridge received; and a detection device for detecting a position of said support unit, a decision as whether receipt of said cartridge is completed or not being made in accordance with detection results obtained by said detection device.
According to the above-mentioned features of the present invention, the support unit for supporting the cartridge and the detection device for detecting the completed insertion of the cartridge are subjected to a combined use. Consequently, it is possible to reduce a number of structural elements in comparison with the conventional manner in which the support unit and the detection device are independently provided. Provision of a display device such as a lamp or the like for displaying whether the receipt of the cartridge has been completed or not, makes it possible to give warning of incomplete insertion to the user or the like, thus avoiding the waste of time due to the incomplete insertion. The cartridge may include record media such as a mini disc, a floppy disc, a VHD disc, a tape, a solid memory or the like. The detection device may include a switch, a sensor or the like.
The above-mentioned support unit may support said cartridge by fitting a part of said support unit into a hole formed on a shutter of said cartridge, and the position of said support unit may be changeable.
According to such features of the present invention, support of the cartridge by the support unit causes variation in position of the support unit so that the complete insertion state can be detected by means of the detection device.
The apparatus may further comprise at least one insertion detection device for detecting insertion of said cartridge into said receiving unit, a decision as whether receipt of said cartridge being completed or not is made in accordance with combination of detection results obtained by said insertion detection device and the detection results obtained by said detection device.
According to such features of the present invention, when the cartridge is inserted so that the insertion distance exceeds a prescribed value, the insertion detection device detects the insertion of the cartridge. When the insertion detection device detects the insertion, the cartridge is kept in any one of the incomplete and complete insertion states. When the detection device detects the complete insertion, there is made a decision that the cartridge has been received completely. When the detection device does not detect the complete insertion, there is a decision made that the cartridge has been received incompletely. If the insertion detection device is not provided, it is impossible to distinguish the complete insertion state from the other state in which the cartridge has been inserted by a small insertion distance and then pulled out. In such a case, it is necessary to check the existence of the cartridge disc in accordance with the user""s reproduction instructions for the cartridge disc, leading to a waste operation, even when the cartridge disc does not exist in the receiving space. The insertion detection device may include a switch, a sensor or the like.
There may be adopted a structure that said at least one cartridge comprises a plurality of cartridges and said receiving unit has a plurality of receiving spaces into which said plurality of cartridges can be received respectively; said at least one insertion detection device comprises a plurality of insertion detection devices that are provided for the respective receiving spaces; said at least one support unit comprises a plurality of support units that are provided for the respective receiving spaces; and said detection device is provided for said plurality of support units. The detection device detects the complete insertion of all the cartridges. A decision of existence of the cartridge that is received incompletely in the whole receiving unit as well as a decision of complete receipt of the cartridge in each of the receiving spaces are made on the basis of the detection results obtained by the detection device and the detection results obtained by the insertion detection devices provided for the respective receiving spaces.
According to the present invention, the single detection device is provided for the plurality of support units and there is a decision made of incomplete or complete receipt of the cartridge. It is therefore possible to reduce a number of structural elements in comparison with the conventional manner in which the detection devices are provided for the respective receiving spaces and a decision of incomplete or complete receipt of the cartridge is made for the respective receiving spaces.
The other cartridge receiving apparatus of the present invention comprises: a receiving unit for receiving at least one cartridge; at lease one leaf spring a part of which is fitted into a hole formed on a shutter of said cartridge to support said cartridge; a lever, which is moved by resilient deformation of said leaf spring; and a detection device for detecting a position of said lever, a decision as whether receipt of said cartridge is completed or not being made in accordance with detection results obtained by said detection device.
According to the features of the present invention, the leaf spring for supporting the cartridge serves as a part of the detection device for detecting the compete insertion of the cartridge, thus reducing a number of structural elements.
There may be adopted a structure that said at least one cartridge comprises a plurality of cartridges and said receiving unit has a plurality of receiving spaces into which said plurality of cartridges can be received respectively; said at least one leaf spring comprises a plurality of leaf springs that are provided for the respective receiving spaces; said lever is provided for said plurality of leaf springs so that resilient deformation of at least one of said plurality of leaf springs causes said lever to move.
According to such features of the present invention, the single lever is provided for the plurality of leaf springs, which can resiliently be deformed independently, and the detection device detects the position of the lever so that a decision of the complete or incomplete receipt of the cartridge is made. It is therefore possible to reduce a number of structural elements in comparison with the conventional manner in which the detection devices are provided for the respective receiving spaces and a decision of incomplete or complete receipt of the cartridge is made for the respective receiving spaces.
A cartridge disc player of the present invention, comprises: a receiving unit for receiving at least one cartridge; at least one support unit for supporting said cartridge received; and a detection device for detecting a position of said support unit; and a transfer unit for transfer said cartridge between said receiving unit and a playback unit, a decision as whether receipt of said cartridge is completed or not being made in accordance with detection results obtained by said detection device, and said cartridge having a shutter that is closed by said support unit when said cartridge is transferred from said playback unit to said receiving unit.
According to the features of the present invention, the support unit for supporting the cartridge and the detection device for detecting the complete insertion of the cartridge are subjected to a combined use, thus reducing a number of structural elements.